1 John 5:1-5

1 John 5:1-5

Everyone who believes that Jesus is Christ has been born out of God.  And everyone who loves the one who begets also loves the ones who have been born out of Him.  In this we know that we love the children of God: whenever we love God and we do His commandments.  For this is the love of God: in order that we should do His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone who has been born out of God conquers the world.  And the victory that conquers the world is this: our belief.  And who is the one who conquers the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

John makes a very interesting set of claims.  First, John says that anyone who truly loves God also loves those who are from God.  There is no big surprise there; we’ve been talking about that for several days and a few dozen verses.  But then John says that we know we love the children of God when we choose obedience to God’s ways.  This is incredibly interesting.  John doesn’t actually include any comment on our behavior to others!  John tells us that if we truly love God’s children we will be obedient to the Lord.  Now, this actually makes a ton of sense.  Who is the better parent, the parent who raises their children to adhere to a morality greater than themselves or the parent who tries to please their children?  Now, don’t get me wrong.  Parents shouldn’t intentionally try to anger their children.  But happiness of the subject is not often a good measure of right and wrong.  Rather, we know that the parent who is attaining God’s ways is doing the better job.  Thus it also is true with Christians interacting with each other.  The Christian who simply strives to get along with everyone is not necessarily demonstrating love.  But the Christian who is always striving to do the godly thing is actually doing the better job and demonstrating love.

Are you surprised that John doesn’t talk about how we interact with one another when he gives his definition about how we show love to the children of God?  Can you think of an example where demonstrating love actually doesn’t mean making the other person happy?

Second Thought:

Then John tells us that God’s commandments are not burdensome.  I’m willing to bet most of us balk at this expression initially.  After all, God tells us that we shouldn’t do so many of the things that the world does!  We have to abstain from sex outside of marriage.  We have to avoid drunkenness.  We have to worship God and take time to do the things that genuinely put us in relationship with Him.  From one perspective it certainly seems that God’s ways are burdensome.  That’s why there are so many in the world uninterested in God’s ways.  However, this is from the perspective of the world.  From the perspective of God, His ways are not burdensome at all.  His ways help us avoid many consequences that the pursuits of our hearts make us deal with.  From God’s perspective, His ways truly do make for an easier life – albeit much less complicated by the many things of the world that people chase after because they are under the belief that it brings them joy.  It is not easy to abide by God’s ways, but it is more fruitful in life.  That is why John says that God’s ways are not burdensome.

When you think of God’s ways, do you consider them burdensome?  Are there some that are easy for you and some that are more challenging?

Third Thought:

Then John says that those who love God have overcome – been victorious over – the world.  The Greek word for that which overcomes the world, that is, “faith” is the Greek word pistis (πίστις).  This word is a Greek word meaning belief, faith, faithfulness, or even reliance.  This is the foundational word for why theologians say that true faith is both belief and obedience.  Faith takes on an element of believing but it also assumes a response in action as well.  So our victory over this world is not just our academic understanding of who Christ is and what He did.  Our victory is actually when we respond to Christ and respond in action by imitating Him in obedience to God’s ways.  Isn’t it interesting that victory over the world is actually the same as how John defined love in verse 2!  And then, when we consider what Christ did on the cross, it all makes sense.  Christ gained victory over the world in a selfless act of obedience to God as He demonstrated the incredible love of the Father.  Want to be victorious over the world?  Want to know true love?  Obey God and you will know both.

Are you surprised to once more see the link between belief and obedience come through in John’s words?  How are you affected by realizing that John defines love in the same terms as he defines victory over this world?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 John 5:6-9